Rules of Procedure

Chapter 1 The Constitution of the Storting

Section 1

When the Storting assembles after a general election, the post of President is on request temporarily assumed by the President of the previous Storting or, in the absence of the Member in question, by the Vice President or Deputy President of the previous Storting. If none of these is present, the post of President is on request temporarily assumed by the senior Member present, in terms of length of service in the Storting. If two or more have been Members of the Storting for an equal length of time, the oldest shall have precedence. The President calls the roll and receives the credentials of the Members and the Deputy Members. The Rules of Procedure are approved. Notifications of absence and applications for leave are reported and decided on. A committee is elected to examine the credentials. The party groups shall as far as possible be proportionally represented on the committee. In addition to the credentials, the committee deals with the recommendation from the Preparatory Credentials Committee, cf. section 23. Until the credentials have been approved, the Members of the Storting have a temporary right to sit and to vote.

When the recommendation from the Credentials Committee has been dealt with, the Storting elects Presidents and Secretaries.

Next the members of the Lagting are elected. When it has been reported to the Storting that both the Lagting and the Odelsting have elected their Presidents and Secretaries, the President declares the Storting lawfully constituted, and reports this to the King.

At each new session of the Storting in the same parliamentary period, the same rules shall be observed as prescribed for the first Storting in the term, apart from what is stated concerning credentials in the first paragraph of this section and concerning the election of members of the Lagting in the third paragraph.

After the elections and the counting of votes ordered by the Storting in pursuance of sections 13-3 and 14-1 of the Act of 28 June 2002 No. 57 relating to parliamentary and local government elections, credentials must be examined at the earliest opportunity.

Section 2

In the plenary Storting and in the Odelsting, Members shall be seated in the alphabetical order of their constituencies; in the Lagting according to the number of votes by which they were elected. In case of equality of votes the order is decided by drawing lots.

Section 3

A new Member who attends after the Storting has elected the members of the Lagting shall sit in the Odelsting, unless elected to the Lagting to fill a vacancy there.

Chapter 2 The Presidents and the Secretaries

Section 4

At the beginning of each new Storting the Storting and both of its chambers shall elect a President, Vice President, first and second Deputy President, Secretary, Vice Secretary and Deputy Secretary.

The elected Presidents and Vice Presidents form the Presidium. The President of the Storting is the chair of the Presidium. The Vice President of the Storting is the vice chair. The President of the Storting conducts the proceedings of the Storting on behalf of the Presidium. When the Storting is not in session, the President adopts such measures as may be necessary concerning the internal affairs of the Storting. The President and the Vice President of the Storting may be excused from serving on any of the Standing Committees of the Storting (cf. section 12).

The chambers are the Lagting and the Odelsting.

If any of the Presidents, Vice Presidents or Secretaries are obliged to be absent for any length of time, deputies shall be elected for as long as they are absent.

If at least one-fifth of the Members of the Storting, the Odelsting or the Lagting send the President a written demand for a new election, such new election shall be held in the Ting concerned.

In the first election of President and Vice President during the electoral period, ballots shall be held by means of unsigned ballot papers. In subsequent elections during the same electoral period, the rules laid down in the first and second sentence of section 44, first paragraph (d) shall apply.

To elect Presidents and Secretaries, a simple majority is required,

i.e. over half of the votes cast. If none of the candidates obtains such a majority in the first ballot or in a free re-election, a tied ballot shall be held restricted to the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes (cf. section 45, (b)).

Section 5

No one may be President or Secretary of more than one Ting at the same time, and the President of one Ting may not be Secretary of any of the Tings. This provision notwithstanding, the Deputy President or Secretary of one Ting may be elected Substitute President of another Ting.

Section 6

Meetings of the Storting, the Lagting and the Odelsting are presided over in alternate calendar months by the President and the Vice President. The Secretaries and Vice Secretaries of the Storting and of its chambers also alternate each calendar month. A Deputy President and a Deputy Secretary may assume the functions of temporary president or secretary. For a short period a Substitute President may be elected to function as temporary president.

Section 7

The Secretaries shall keep the Records of Proceedings of the respective Tings. The President and the Secretary shall sign the Records of Proceedings.

Chapter 3 The Committees and Working Procedures

Section 8

Immediately after the Storting has been constituted, an Election Committee of 37 members is elected. The groups should as far as possible be proportionally represented on it. The geographical distribution of constituencies should also be taken into account. The Election Committee decides the composition of the standing committees of the Storting. The Election Committee makes a recommendation concerning all the elections which the Storting assigns it to prepare. The recommendation shall be completed as soon as possible after receipt of the assignment. The members of the Election Committee serve for the whole parliamentary period. If vacancies arise, the missing member should be replaced by means of a new election as soon as possible. The Storting also elects deputies to the Election Committee, according to the same principles as stated in the first paragraph. These deputies shall be summoned to attend in any case of absence of a committee member.

Section 9

 (Repealed 1 October 1993.)

Section 10

All of the Members of the Storting, except those who may be excused (cf. section 4 second paragraph last sentence) shall be assigned to one of the following committees:

1. The Standing Committee on Labour and Social Affairs
2. The Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment
3. The Standing Committee on Family and Cultural Affairs
4. The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
5. The Standing Committee on Defence
6. The Standing Committee on Health and Care Services
7. The Standing Committee on Justice
8. The Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs
9. The Standing Committee on Local Government and Public Administration
10. The Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs
11. The Standing Committee on Business and Industry
12. The Standing Committee on Transport and Communications
13. The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs

Section 11

As soon as the Election Committee has been elected, it appoints the members of the standing committees of the Storting.

There should, if possible, be members of the Lagting on all standing committees. Similarly the party groups should, as far as possible, be proportionally represented on the committees. The Election Committee submits a printed report of the appointments to the Storting.

Section 12

As a general rule, all budget proposals and Bills are assigned to the standing committees according to set rules. The same applies to all other matters submitted to the committees for consideration, cf. section 15.

The principal rule governing the division of work is:

1. The Standing Committee on Labour and Social Affairs: Matters relating to the labour market and the working environment, work-related benefits, pensions, social benefits and policy regarding persons with disabilities.

2. The Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment: Matters relating to oil, energy, watercourses, environmental protection and regional planning.

3. The Standing Committee on Family and Cultural Affairs: Matters relating to families, children and youth, gender equality, consumer affairs and cultural affairs.

4. The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs: Matters relating to economic policy, monetary and credit policy, the financial and credit system, financial administration, block grants to municipalities and counties, taxes and duties to the State Treasury, state guarantees for exports, etc., National Insurance revenues, incomes policy (except for the Agricultural Agreement) and legislation relating to accounting and auditing. As regards consideration of the Fiscal Budget and the National Budget, see section 19.

5. The Standing Committee on Defence: Matters relating to military defence, the Committee of the Ombudsman for the Armed Forces in Norway and general matters relating to civil defence. The committee shall continously monitor the preparedness measures taken in the sphere of both military and civil defence to ensure that they are in accordance with the powers and appropriations granted.

6. The Standing Committee on Health and Care Services: Matters relating to health services, care and attendance services, public health, drug and alcohol policy and pharmaceuticals.

7. The Standing Committee on Justice: Matters relating to the judicial system, the probation service, the police, persons performing civilian national service, other judicial issues, ex gratia payments, general legislation relating to public administration, the penal code, civil and criminal procedural legislation and general civil legislation.

8. The Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs: Matters relating to education, research and church affairs, including research in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and business and industry.

9. The Standing Committee on Local Government and Public Administration: Matters relating to local government, regional and rural policy, immigration policy, housing policy, building and construction, national minorities, Sami issues, matters relating to the organization and operation of State administration, government administration, personnel policy for state employees including pay and pensions, and support for political parties.

10. The Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs: The committee shall review and submit recommendations to the Storting on

a. records of proceedings etc. of the Council of State, cf. section 75, subparagraph f, of the Constitution,

b. the annual report from the Government concerning the follow-up of resolutions of the Storting containing requests to the Government and concerning private member's bills submitted by the Storting to the Government for consideration and comments,

c. documents from the Office of the Auditor General, and other matters concerning the Auditor General's activities,

d. reports from the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration and other matters concerning the Ombudsman's activities,

e. reports from the Storting's Committee for the Monitoring of Intelligence, Surveillance and Security Services and other matters concerning the committee's activities,

f. reports from the Storting's Accountability Select Commitee and commissions of inquiry appointed by the Storting.

 

The Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs decides in each case whether a draft recommendation shall be submitted to the appropriate standing committee for comment before the recommendation is presented.

Furthermore the committee deals with constitutional matters, legislation relating to elections, allocations to the Storting and to the Royal Household.

The committee also deals with matters in which the Storting shall consider the extent to which constitutional responsibility shall be asserted, including whether the Storting's Accountability Select Committee shall be requested to make the necessary enquiries to determine the basis for such responsibility, cf. the Act of 5th February 1932 no. 2 relating to the Legal Procedure for Offences Indicted before the Court of Impeachment. One-third of the committee's members may require that the committee shall deal with such a matter on its own initiative. The committee shall make recommendations on the matters it deals with. Should the committee find that circumstances in an external request regarding breach of constitutional duties cannot be prosecuted through the Court of Impeachment, the request shall be referred to the appropriate prosecuting authority. Furthermore, the committee may decide that a request shall not be put before the Storting when it is evident that the circumstances in question will not result in further action. The request shall be put before the Storting in a recommendation if one- third of the committee's members require this. The party that has put forward the request shall be notified of the result of the matter once it has been dealt with. When a decision has been made to prosecute through the Court of Impeachment, the committee acts on behalf of the Storting during the preparation and implementation of the case.

Before committees other than the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs submit a recommendation that puts forward a proposal that constitutional responsibility shall be asserted or a proposal to implement enquiries as mentioned in Section 45 a, a draft recommendation from the committee concerned shall be submitted to the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs for comment.

The committee may also make any further inquiries within the administration deemed necessary for the Storting's scrutiny of the public administration. Such a decision shall be made by one-third of the committee's members. Before the committee itself makes such inquiries, the minister concerned shall be notified and requested to procure the information required. The committee shall make recommendations on the matters it deals with.

One-third of the committee's members may require a committee hearing to be held on a scrutiny issue pursuant to section 21.

The Committee may lay down further rules for its secretariat,

including the duties of the secretariat and the use of the secretariat

that may be made by individual committee members.

11. The Standing Committee on Business and Industry: Matters relating to business, industry, and trade, shipping, state ownership policy, competition and price policy, agriculture, the Agricultural Agreement, food policy, fisheries, whaling, aquaculture and salmon fishing.

12. The Standing Committee on Transport and Communications: Matters relating to domestic transport, postal services, telecommunications, electronic communication and the responsibilities of the Norwegian National Coastal Administration.

13. The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs: Matters relating to foreign affairs, development cooperation, Norwegian interests on Svalbard or in other polar regions and matters in general relating to agreements between Norway and other states or international organizations.

When committees other than the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs deal with matters which affect Norwegian interests abroad or Norwegian interests on Svalbard or in other polar regions, the draft recommendation from the committee concerned shall be submitted to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs for comment before the recommendation is presented.

Section 13

In addition to the standing committees mentioned in section 10, the Election Committee also appoints an Enlarged Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The task of the Enlarged Committee on Foreign Affairs is to discuss with the Government important foreign policy, trade policy and national security policy issues. These discussions should take place before important decisions are made. In special cases the Enlarged Committee may put recommendations before the Storting.

The Enlarged Committee consists of the ordinary members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Standing Committee on Defence, the President of the Storting and the chairmen of the party groups (if they are not already members of one of the committees). The Election Committee may, at the request of a group, appoint further members if it finds that considerations regarding the proportional representation of the groups so indicate.

The Vice-President of the Storting shall function as deputy for the President of the Storting and the vice-chairmen of the party groups shall function as deputies for the chairmen of the party groups. The Presidium may, at the request of the party group in question, decide that a deputy who attends meetings of the Standing Committee on Defence or the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, shall attend meetings of the Enlarged Committee as well.

The committee is convened when the chairman finds it necessary, or at the request of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or one-third of the members of the Committee.

The business of the Enlarged Committee shall be kept secret unless otherwise expressly provided. The same applies to joint meetings between this Committee and other Committees. The chairman may decide that even the summons to meetings of the Committee shall be secret.

A matter on the agenda of a meeting of the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee shall be put before a meeting of the Storting when at least six members of the committee so request in a meeting where the matter is on the agenda. The Committee shall consider whether these conditions for consideration by the Storting are present and in such event notify the Presidium of this. The Committee may decide to continue consideration of the matter during the same meeting or a subsequent meeting even though a request pursuant to the first sentence has been submitted. The Storting shall decide in camera whether such a meeting shall be held in public or in camera. Consideration by the Storting shall be introduced by a statement by a member of the Government. Debate concerning the matter shall be held either immediately after the statement or during a subsequent meeting according to the decision of the Storting. Proposals may not be submitted for consideration by committees.

Section 13 a

The Government's consultations with the Storting on matters regarding the Agreement on the European Economic Area (the EEA Agreement), including proposals regarding new or amended acts in a field within the scope of the EEA Agreement, and matters regarding coterminous agreements with the European Union (EU), shall take place with the European Consultative Committee.

The European Consultative Committee consists of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the members of the Norwegian delegation to the EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee. The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs or its chair may also decide that one or more of the other committees shall take part in specific consultations. The Election Committee appoints deputies for the members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs in the European Consultative Committee. The deputies shall be summoned in any case of absence. The Election Committee may nevertheless decide that a deputy who attends meetings of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs shall also attend meetings of the European Consultative Committee.

The chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs convenes consultations when he or she deems necessary, or when a member of the Government or one-third of the members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs so request.

Documents which the European Consultative Committee receives from the Government shall also be submitted to the appropriate standing committees. The committees may request that the Government submits other documents regarding EU/EEA matters. The committees may also submit written questions on such matters to the responsible member of the Government, but may not hold hearings. A committee may decide to submit a written statement to the European Consultative Committee on a matter that the consultative committee shall deal with. The committee decides whether a spokesperson shall be elected for such a matter. A written statement from a committee to the European Consultative Committee is made public once it has been submitted, unless the committee decides otherwise.

Meetings of the European Consultative Committee are held in camera. The same applies to joint meetings between this body and other committees. The minutes of proceedings in the consultative committee are made public as soon as they are available, unless the consultative committee decides otherwise. It is prohibited to repeat statements made in a meeting when the minutes of the business of that matter have not been made public.

Matters which are taken up in the European Consultative Committee shall be submitted to a meeting of the Storting when the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs so demands at a meeting of the European Consultative Committee where the matter is on the agenda. The Storting shall decide in camera whether such a meeting shall be public or held in camera. The rules laid down in section 13, seventh paragraph, second to final sentence shall apply accordingly.

Section 14

If the Storting or the chambers deem it necessary, special committees may in exceptional cases be set up to deal with a particular matter, or with matters of a particular kind. Appointments to such special committees are made by the Election Committee, which in making such appointments should as far as possible avoid creating difficulties for the ordinary work of the standing committees. The Storting may at any time decide to increase or reduce the number both of standing committees and of the number of members on those committees. Unless the Storting has made a specific decision to the contrary or unless vacancies necessitate changes, the composition of the committees shall remain unchanged throughout all the Storting sessions in the same parliamentary period. If special committees are to be set up to deal with legislative matters, the Odelsting shall make a request to this effect to the Storting.

Section 14 a

The Storting may appoint a commission of inquiry to clarify or assess a previous actual course of events. It should be possible for the terms of reference to allow an assessment of responsibilities in so far as such assistance is required by the Storting.

A proposal concerning the appointment of a commission of inquiry shall be considered by the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs or by a special committee appointed by the Storting pursuant to section 14. The Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs may submit such a proposal on its own initiative.

The Storting lays down the terms of reference of the commission and the specific procedures for its work. The extent to which the commission is to be bound by the general rules and guidelines that apply to public commissions of inquiry should be specified. Furthermore, an assessment should be made of whether the commission requires statutory authority in order to ensure the necessary access to information and documents.

A commission of inquiry appointed by the Storting shall consist of persons with the necessary professional competence and integrity. The commission shall carry out its duties independently and independently of the Storting.

The commission of inquiry shall report directly to the Storting. The report shall be public unless special considerations indicate that it should be wholly or partly confidential. Before the Storting makes its final assessment of the report, it should be submitted to the Government for written comment.

Section 15

On the proposal of the President, the Storting or the chamber concerned distributes all matters requiring committee preparation to the respective standing committees. The Presidium recommends how the chapters of the budget are to be distributed, cf. section 22 third paragraph. In general, all matters shall be distributed according to the rule laid down in section 12. On the proposal of the Presidium, the Storting may derogate from this principal rule for practical reasons.

Matters which have already been referred to committees may be reallocated if the Presidium so decides.

The Storting may decide that a matter shall first be dealt with by a specified committee, and that this committee's draft recommendation shall then be submitted for comment to another committee before the recommendation is presented. After a matter has been referred to a committee, such a decision may be taken by the Presidium.

The Storting may also decide that the matter shall first be referred to a specified committee, and that this committee's draft recommendation be sent to another committee, which then presents a recommendation. The Storting may also decide that two standing committees shall deal with a matter jointly. As a rule, the matter shall then be dealt with provisionally by a joint committee consisting of an equal number of members from each of the two standing committees. The spokesman for this matter shall be elected from among the members of this joint committee.

Where large extraordinary appropriations are concerned, the Storting may decide that the committee recommendation on the matter shall be submitted to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs to give this committee the opportunity to comment on the financial aspects of the recommendation.

If the Presidium unanimously decides that a matter does not require preparation by any other committee, the Presidium may itself present a recommendation.

Section 16

As soon as the committees have been appointed, each of them assembles and elects a chair, first vice chair and second vice chair. Notification of the elections shall immediately be made to the Storting. New elections shall be held each year in the parliamentary period, at the earliest opportunity after the Storting has been constituted.

The Members are under the same obligation to attend committee meetings as to attend meetings of the Storting (cf. section 27). Absence shall be notified to the chair.

A committee decision is valid when at least three -fifths of the members have been present and voted.

The committees are responsible for the printing, to the extent they find appropriate, of the documents and annexes which have been sent to them by the Storting or its chambers.

Committee business shall be recorded in a separate journal. The committee chair is responsible for ensuring that minutes are taken, that documents sent to the committee are registered, and that important documents and annexes are filed in the Archives.

Section 17

A committee may appoint subcommittees of its own members to prepare particular matters. Final committee proceedings, however, must always take place in the fully assembled committee.

A deputy Member who is summoned becomes a member of the committee to which the full Member belongs, unless the Presidium decides otherwise. Separate rules apply, however, with regard to the Election Committee, the Enlarged Committee on Foreign Affairs and the European Consultative Committee, cf. sections 8, 13 and 13 a.

A committee may meet also while the Storting is not sitting. The Storting's administration shall be informed about such committee meetings. In the event of the absence of a committee member from such a committee meeting, for reasons the committee chair finds

acceptable, the chair may summon the deputy of the member in question. A committee may travel if it finds it necessary for its work and the Presidium has given its consent. The Presidium may consent to committee applications, for which grounds have been stated, for permission to employ paid help.

Section 18

Recommendations from committees shall be presented to the relevant Ting in writing. In special cases recommendations may be presented orally; if so, draft resolutions shall as a rule have been distributed in advance. All recommendations shall be as brief as possible and chiefly contain the committee's comments. Recommendations shall not reprint documents which may equally well be referred to. If a recommendation does, in exceptional cases, quote from printed documents, this shall be clearly indicated. The President shall see to it that these rules are observed. Matters which belong together shall as far as possible be dealt with in one and the same recommendation. When special grounds so indicate and subject to the approval of the Presidium, a committee may first submit its recommendations concerning part of a matter, and later submit its recommendations concerning the remainder of the matter. Proposals dealt with and formulated in the recommendation, cf. section 30 first paragraph, shall be presented summarily and numbered consecutively in a separate section of the recommendation. The presentation shall show who is making the proposal. Publication of a recommendation prior to its submission is not permitted. Once submitted, a recommendation shall be handed in to the Storting's administration as soon as possible.

Section 19

A Royal Proposition concerning the Fiscal Budget for the fiscal year shall be submitted to the Storting within six days after the opening of the Storting, cf. section 8 of the Appropriation Regulations. The

Report to the Storting concerning the National Budget shall be submitted at the same time.

No later than 20 November, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs shall present a recommendation (Budget Recommendation S. I) concerning the National Budget and the Fiscal Budget, containing the proposed resolution on budget ceilings for appropriations in accordance with the expenditure areas laid down by the Storting pursuant to the third paragraph of section 22. The proposals concerning appropriations formulated in the recommendation or submitted in connection with the consideration of the recommendation by the Storting shall contain amounts for all budget headings, and may not be below the total budget ceiling. The Storting may not vote separately on the separate parts of such a proposal.

The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs submits at the same time a recommendation concerning taxes and duties and block grants to municipalities and counties.

The Storting shall deal with these recommendations within one week following their submission. The Storting's resolution on budget ceilings is binding for the subsequent consideration of the budget during the same year.

Thereafter, the standing committees shall present recommendations concerning appropriations within the expenditure areas allocated to them. Proposals concerning appropriations that are formulated in such a recommendation or are submitted in connection with its consideration by the Storting shall include all budget chapters and budget items within each separate spending programme, and may not deviate from the limits decided by the Storting. The Storting may not vote separately on the separate parts of such a proposal.

The budget recommendations of the standing committees shall be considered by the Storting no later than 15 December. The budget resolutions made by the Storting after consideration of these recommendations are final.

Any Royal Proposition concerning amendments to all the separate budgets of the individual Ministries shall be submitted by 15 May during the fiscal year concerned, in connection with the submission of the Report to the Storting concerning the Revised National Budget. The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs submits a recommendation concerning such amendments (Budget Recommendation

S. II) no later than the second Friday of June.

In connection with amendments to the Fiscal Budget during the fiscal year the Storting may only vote separately on the separate parts of such a proposal if no objection to this is made by the proposer.

Section 20

The committee chair convenes the meetings of the committee and presides over them. A summons to a meeting shall include the agenda, and notice of the meeting shall be posted in the Storting building prior to the meeting. In the absence of the chair, the first vice-chair takes over these duties. In the absence also of the first vice-chair, the duties are taken over by the second vice-chair.

The committee's meetings shall be held in camera. Statements made by other committee members in a closed committee meeting may not be quoted.

The chair shall at the earliest opportunity put before the committee all matters of business received from the Storting or its chambers. The committee shall as soon as possible set a time limit for submitting a recommendation, and shall notify the Storting's administration of the time limit. The chair shall ensure that the work on these matters proceeds in accordance with the specified time limits. A decision to postpone a specified time limit for submission requires the consent of the Presidium if the postponement entails a change in the date of proceedings in the provisional long-term programme for meetings of the Storting.

The committees may not deal with other matters than those submitted by the Storting or the Odelsting, with the exceptions made in these Rules of Procedure.

For each matter to be dealt with during the Storting session, the committee elects a spokesperson or, upon request, more than one spokesperson, from among its members. If, in the course of dealing with a matter, the committee divides into two or more factions, each of these factions may elect a spokesperson. When a committee is merely asked to comment on a recommendation or a draft recommendation prepared by another committee, the committee shall decide whether or not to elect a spokesperson.

The spokesperson shall present the matter to the committee and shall attempt to obtain the information and institute the inquiries which members of the committee deem necessary. The spokesperson shall formulate the recommendation in writing and sign it together with the chair.

Section 21

The committee may hold hearings. By hearing is meant a meeting of the committee where oral statements are made by persons whom the committee requests to attend or who request to submit information to the committee. The committee may decide by simple majority that a hearing shall be held and who shall be requested to attend. Persons so summoned shall be free to decide whether or not to attend and whether or not to answer the questions of the committee.

The question of whether a hearing is to be held shall be listed as a separate matter in the notice of the committee meeting. Only matters submitted for consideration by the committee and for which spokespersons have been elected may be the subject of a hearing.

The committee may on request receive the consent of the Presidium to cover necessary expenses incurred by persons who participate in a hearing on the request of the committee.

The committee's hearings shall be held in public. If considered appropriate, the committee may decide by simple majority that the hearing shall be held wholly or partly in camera. A member of the committee may demand that a public hearing be interrupted so that the committee may discuss further progress including proposals that the hearing be discontinued or continued in camera. Confidential information may only be received by the committee in camera. During public hearings the committee members may not repeat or refer to information subject to a duty of secrecy laid down in Statute or instructions.

There shall be no exchange of views between committee members during a public hearing.

During public hearings there shall be seats for members of the public. The number of spectators may be limited by reasons of space. Any persons who create a disturbance may be asked to leave. The committee may decide that stenographic minutes shall be taken of a public scrutiny hearing, cf. the Rules for Public Scrutiny Hearings adopted by the Storting. A decision to take stenographic minutes of other hearings requires the consent of the Storting's Presidium. The committee may also decide that a hearing shall be recorded on tape. The committee may decide that no audio or video recording may be made of a hearing which is otherwise public. Public hearings shall be announced at the latest 24 hours prior to the hearing. In extraordinary circumstances, shorter notice of public hearings may be given. Public hearings shall not be held when there is a sitting of the Storting or its chambers with the exception of the ordinary Question time.

The committee may lay down further rules relating to the conduct of its hearings, such as the maximum time for each speech, the order in which the committee members may ask questions, the number of questions each member may ask and the extent to which follow-up questions shall be allowed. In matters relating to the Storting's scrutiny (scrutiny hearings), public hearings shall take place in accordance with special rules adopted by the Storting in plenary session.

Section 22

The Presidium supervises the committees' setting of time limits for submission of recommendations, that the time limits are adapted to the provisional long- term programme for meetings of the Storting and that the recommendations are submitted in accordance with the time limits.

The Presidium may summon the committee chairs to meetings concerning time limits for submission and for the committees' work on matters. After the committee chair has been given the opportunity to state his/her views, the Presidium may stipulate a different time limit for submission than that set by the committee or stipulate a time limit for a matter for which the committee has not set a time limit.

After the Royal Proposition concerning the Fiscal Budget has been presented to the Storting, the Presidium submits a recommendation on how the chapters of the budget are to be distributed among the standing committees and on spending programmes, cf. section 19. After the committee chairs have been given the opportunity to state their views, the Presidium also sets time limits for the committees' presentation of their budget recommendations.

If a committee does not submit a recommendation within the time limit set, the Presidium may transfer the matter of business to another committee or place it on the agenda for consideration by the Storting or Odelsting without any recommendation.

Section 23

On the recommendation of the Election Committee, the Storting shall at its last sitting in the parliamentary period elect from among its Members a committee to examine provisionally the credentials of the Members and deputies of the new Storting. At the same time the Storting elects as many deputies as there are members, and also elects the chair and the vice chair of the committee. As far as possible the party groups should be proportionally represented on the committee.

An official from the Storting's administration, to be decided by the committee, serves as its secretary.

The Preparatory Credentials Committee assembles when summoned by the chair. As far as necessary it shall consider and report on the contents of the documents received by the Storting in accordance with the Election Act and on all appeals and complaints submitted in due time insofar as they may effect decisions on credentials. On behalf of the Storting the committee is authorized to obtain any information which it deems necessary in this connection.

The Preparatory Credentials Committee shall, before the Storting assembles, present to the Storting's administration a provisional recommendation concerning all questions relating to the election and credentials which may affect the composition of the new Storting. The committee ceases to function on the day before the new Storting assembles.

If the Preparatory Committee is obliged to submit its provisional recommendation concerning approval or rejection of credentials before it has managed to obtain the necessary information on each individual's credentials, it must give a special account in its recommendation of the reasons for the delay and state when a final decision may be available.

The provisional recommendation and all annexes to it must be duly registered and presented to the Credentials Committee of the new Storting as soon as the committee meets. The recommendation must not be made public by the Preparatory Credentials Committee.

Chapter 4 How the Storting and its Chambers are Convened and Called to Order

Section 24

The Presidium decides when the Storting and its chambers are to convene.

In accordance with the decision of the Presidium, the Storting and its chambers are convened by notices posted in the Storting building and by making the notice available to members on paper or in electronic form not later than 24 hours before the appointed time for the sitting. The notice shall contain the agenda. Under extraordinary circumstances, or when the agenda comprises matters of report only, a meeting may be called at shorter notice.

Section 25

Ting meetings and committee sittings are usually held on working days between 1000 and 1600 hours, on Saturdays between 1000 and 1300 hours. If the amount of work makes it necessary, the Presidium may decide that Ting meetings, with the usual notice, shall also be held between 1800 and 2200 hours. With the consent of the Storting or, as the case may be, of its chambers, sittings may continue beyond this hour.

Section 26

By Friday at 1500 hours at the latest, a programme for the work of the Storting in the following week should be posted and made available on paper or in electronic form. This programme concerns which days there are to be meetings, when the meetings will start, and if evening sittings are expected. Preliminary agendas for the meetings should be posted and simultaneously made available on paper or in electronic form.

In good time before the beginning of the proceedings on the budgets in the Storting, the Presidium shall decide the dates for proceedings on the budget recommendations and announce these dates.

At Ting meetings, matters of business are usually dealt with according to the agenda put forward by the President. The agenda should be arranged so that matters of business which belong together, and matters originating from the same Ministry, as far as possible are scheduled at the same time and dealt with in conjunction with each other.

The announced weekly programme, which is mentioned in the first paragraph, first and second sentences, and the announced agenda should not be departed from unless necessary. A decision to make such a change requires a simple majority if the proposal is put forward by the President, but a two- thirds majority if it is put forward by a Member. If the President intends to propose a change, this should be made known at the earliest opportunity.

If a meeting does not complete its agenda, the matters outstanding shall be dealt with at the beginning of the next meeting or included in a new agenda. However, matters which have been postponed to a stated time shall always be dealt with at the time decided.

Section 27

Applications for leave of absence are dealt with by the Storting on the recommendation of the Presidium. Leave may be granted in connection with participation in travel as a member of a delegation appointed by the Storting or the Storting's Presidium, in connection with illness of the member, on fulfilment of the conditions stated in rules issued by the Presidium concerning leave in connection with childbirth, care, etc. or in connection with absence for a period longer than five days. In cases other than those referred to in the second sentence, leave may only be granted in special circumstances.The acting President is informed through the Storting's administration of absences of short duration. Members who have been on leave shall report on their return to the Storting's administration.

No meeting may be called to order before the President has ascertained that the number of Members required by the Constitution are present.

Chapter 5 Royal Propositions and Reports, and Proposals and Applications

Section 28

The presentation of Royal Propositions and submission of proposals to amend the Constitution and private member's bills should generally take place at the opening or the conclusion of a sitting. Proposals to amend the Constitution and private member's bills shall be delivered to the Storting's administration by 0900 at the latest on the date that they are to be submitted to the Storting.

The Presidium proposes the procedure for the Royal Propositions and Reports, and for private member's bills and applications, when they have been received by the respective Ting.

When new matters of business, including proposals, requests and applications, have been reported, the Ting concerned decides whether the matter shall

1. be sent to the Government without a substantive vote,
2. be sent to a committee,
3. be made available for examination by the Members of the Ting for at least a day, and then be placed on the agenda to be dealt with,
4. be decided at once, unless the President or one -fifth of the Members present are opposed to this,
5. be rejected or not dealt with.

If the President finds that certain matters which are to be reported may appropriately be decided at the same meeting, the President should have them included as separate items on the agenda with notice that it will be proposed to deal with them at once.

New documents connected with matters which have already been sent to a committee shall not be treated as separate matters, but shall be sent directly to the committee which has the matter in hand, unless the Presidium decides that the matter should be reported to the Ting to which it belongs.

A member of the Storting may obtain comments from the Ministry concerned regarding a proposal, application or request that the Storting has submitted to the Government without a substantive vote.

Section 29

Proposals to amend the Constitution and private member's bills shall as soon as possible, together with the Member's grounds, if any are stated, be made available to the Members on paper or in electronic form.

When a private member's bill is sent to a committee, the committee submits its recommendation concerning the bill to the appropriate Ting. If the committee finds the bill acceptable, in whole or in part, and that the matter is ready for decision by the Storting without further study, a substantive recommendation should be submitted after the Minister concerned has had the opportunity to give his comments. If further consideration is needed before a substantive decision can be taken, the committee should recommend that the bill be sent to the Government for further study and comment. If the committee is in no doubt that the bill does not merit the support of the Storting, it should recommend forthwith that the bill be rejected.

Section 30

Proposals which are discussed and presented in the committee recommendation are to be decided upon together with the recommendation, when the proposer so demands. The same applies to other proposals concerning the same matter when notice has been given in advance to the President through the Storting's administration by 0900 hours at the latest on the day when the Storting or the Odelsting has the matter on the agenda. A proposal that constitutional responsibility shall be asserted or a proposal to implement enquiries as mentioned in Section 45 a shall nevertheless be sent to the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs if the circumstances have not already been dealt with by or submitted to the committee, cf. Section 12 second paragraph no. 10. In special cases, the Ting concerned may by a two-thirds majority decide that the rules of the first and second sentences shall not apply.

Proposals put forward during the debate are otherwise to be dealt with according to section 28, third paragraph.

Proposals put forward in connection with a debate concerning a statement pursuant to section 34 a, when such a debate is held during a subsequent sitting of the Storting, shall be dealt with in accordance with the rules laid down in section 28, third paragraph.

When a proposal that is put forward in the Odelsting contains a request to the Government, the proposal shall be sent to the Storting and dealt with there. When the proposal is to be dealt with by the Storting, it is included on the agenda as a separate item. No proposals may be submitted during the deliberations concerning such a matter.

If a proposal concerning a Bill presented in the Lagting is not notified in advance by submission to the President through the Storting's administration by 0900 hours on the date that the matter is to be dealt with by the Lagting, the President or one fifth of the members present may refuse to vote over the proposal.

Section 31

As a rule, proposals and applications shall be submitted in writing, but must not be signed by more than ten Members of the Ting concerned. Bills should be set out in statutory form. If, when dealing with a Bill, the Odelsting adopts an amendment which has not been considered in committee, the committee shall as a rule comment on the adopted amendment before it is dealt with in the Lagting. Private members' bills may be withdrawn by means of written notification to the Storting's administration in addition to oral notification to the Ting to which the bill was made. Proposed amendments to the Constitution may not be withdrawn after the Storting has decided to print and announce the proposal.

Section 32

When a matter returns from a committee, the committee's recommendation shall as soon as possible be made available to the Members of the Storting on paper or in electronic form. Proceedings on a recommendation may not begin until 48 hours after it is made available to the Members. In special cases the Ting may nevertheless decide by a simple majority to take the matter up sooner.

Section 33

At the beginning of the autumn session and the spring session, respectively, the Presidium should obtain a list of the Propositions and Reports which the Government intends to put forward.

The proceedings of the Storting shall be adjourned on the third Friday in June at the latest, but the Presidium has the right to prolong the session under special circumstances. The Presidium may decide that the proceedings of the Storting shall be resumed at a later date before the next Storting assembles in accordance with Article 68 of the Constitution.

Royal Bill Propositions which are not conclusively dealt with by the Odelsting and the Lagting within the parliamentary period during which they are submitted at a sitting of the Odelsting, must be resubmitted by the Government during the next period.

Royal Propositions to the Storting that are not conclusively dealt with by the Storting within the parliamentary period during which they are submitted at a sitting of the Storting may, subject to a proposal by the Presidium, be dealt with during a subsequent parliamentary period even when not resubmitted by the Government. This applies accordingly to Royal Reports to the Storting that are not conclusively dealt with by the Storting within the parliamentary period during which they are referred at a sitting of the Storting.

Private member's bills and applications submitted during an earlier Storting session in the same parliamentary period, but not decided on there, shall remain on the pending list unless the proposer has made reservations to the contrary. Private member's bills that are not fully dealt with during the parliamentary period in which they are submitted are discontinued.

If a recommendation from a committee is not decided on by the Ting before the sitting is over, it shall be dealt with during the next sitting in the same parliamentary period, without further committee proceedings. A recommendation which is not decided on by the Ting by the end of the parliamentary period, discontinues.

Questions and interpellations which have not been answered by the end of the parliamentary period discontinue.

Section 34

The Presidium shall ensure that a list of all matters of business which have been taken up is continuously made available to the Members of the Storting, stating when these were sent to the appropriate committee, who the spokesperson is and when the committees will submit their recommendations.

Section 34 a

By consent of the Presidium of the Storting a member of the Government may make an oral report to a plenary sitting of the Storting. If possible the report shall be placed on the agenda. The assembly decides whether the report shall

1. immediately be followed by a debate,
2. be put on the agenda of a subsequent sitting,
3. be sent to a committee, or
4. be attached to the Record of Proceedings.

In a debate immediately following the report, one representative of each of the party groups, and the Minister concerned, may speak for a maximum of five minutes each. No proposals may be submitted during such a debate. At the end of such a debate the assembly decides whether the report shall be attached to the Record of Proceedings or be dealt with further according to alternative b. or c. mentioned above.

Chapter 6 The Debates

Section 35

When matters of some importance are taken up, the President shall first give Members of the Ting the opportunity to comment on the matter in general.

At the opening of a debate the assembly may, at the proposal of the President, decide to limit the duration of the debate and allocate speaking time between the party groups. As a consequence of this decision the individual speaker may be given less speaking time than is stipulated in section 36.

The spokesperson will generally open the debate, after which speakers will be called upon in the same order as they have caught the President's eye. In the event of simultaneous requests, the President decides who may speak first. If the party groups have submitted to the President, through the Storting's administration, the names of Members who wish to take part in the debate, the President may on this basis establish the order of the speakers. One speaker from each party group shall head the list of speakers.

If, in the capacity of Member, the President wishes to participate in the debate on a matter beyond making brief remarks, it must be left to the Vice President or to a Deputy President to chair the sitting's further proceedings on that matter.

During the general debate on a matter, or a part of a matter if the debate has been divided, no one may speak more than twice; nor may anyone speak more than twice during special debates on individual sections or items or individual proposals, except where legislative proceedings are concerned. The President may nevertheless permit a brief remark.

At the proposal of the President, exceptions may be made to these rules if the Ting so consents. The restrictions mentioned in this section do not, however, apply to:

1. spokespersons and the Minister of the Ministry under which the matter belongs;
2. The Prime Minister and the party group leaders in general political debates.

The President may permit one speaker from each party group to speak more than twice.

Section 36

As a rule, speaking time must not exceed 30 minutes in the first speech and ten minutes in the second.

The President may propose that speaking time be limited, but usually not to less than three minutes. At the President's proposal, exceptions may be made for Ministers, leaders of the party groups, the chair of the standing committee whose matter is being dealt with, and committee spokespersons.

Section 37

The President shall permit a debate with exchanges of brief remarks and replies provided that the Ting does not decide otherwise. The remark shall be related to the speech concerned. Each speaker may speak for up to one minute, and the entire exchange of remarks may comprise up to five remarks with replies. The President may propose that the exchanges debate be limited to three remarks with replies. The speaker whose speech causes the debate may reply to each speaker in turn. In an exchanges debate no speaker, except the one who causes the remarks, may speak more than twice.

If the President believes that it may be of importance to the further debate, remarks of up to one minute may be allowed out of turn in connection with the latest speech, in order to answer a direct question or to correct an obvious misunderstanding. In such a connection a speaker may not speak more than twice.

Ten Members of the Storting or its chambers have the right to propose that speaking time be limited; the proposal must be submitted in writing. Such a proposal is put to the vote without a debate.

A Ting may decide to terminate a debate before all enrolled speakers have spoken ("closure"). Proposals to this effect must be put forward by the President or by ten Members, as for proposals to limit the speaking time. The proposal must obtain a two- thirds majority to be adopted. A vote is taken after one speaker has spoken in favour and one against - once each.

Section 37

At the end of each sitting, the President shall invite comments from Members concerning procedural errors, if any. With the consent of the President, questions may also be put to the Presidium or to members of the Government, and matters which for particular reasons it is desirable to take up at once and which cannot suitably be raised in other ways, may be put forward as well. Members wishing to do this shall inform the President in good time before the end of the sitting. Proposals may not be put forward during proceedings as described in the second paragraph.

Section 38

A speaker addresses the speech to the President. The speaker should adhere strictly to the matter that is being debated. Improper or insulting behaviour or speech is not permitted. Such behaviour or speech shall be censured by the President.

Section 39

Noisy expressions of disapproval or applause are not permitted during the proceedings.

Section 40

The use of quotations should be limited. The beginning and the end of a quotation must be clearly indicated in the speech and the speaker must give the source of the quotation.

Section 41

When members of the Council of State take part in the proceedings, they have, in accordance with Article 742 of the Constitution, the same rights and obligations under the Rules of Procedure as Members of the Storting.

Article 74 states that Members of the Government have the right to attend and take part inany proceedings in open sittings, when constituted, although without voting.

Section 42

If any Member disregards the Rules of Procedure, the President may give the Member a warning, which is repeated if necessary. If the Member still fails to observe the Rules of Procedure, the President calls for a vote on whether the Member in question shall be refused permission to speak or be excluded from the proceedings for the rest of the day.

Chapter 7 Voting

Section 43

When all the speakers enrolled have spoken, the President declares the debate closed. In the Storting and the Odelsting, the matters are put to the vote at the end of the day's sitting unless the Ting decides that one or more matters shall be put to vote earlier.

If there are several proposals in connection with a matter, the President shall put each of them to the vote in a logical order. The order of voting must be announced and accepted in advance.

The individual proposals may also be put to the vote successively.

A Member who is not present in the chamber when the President declares that a matter is to be put to the vote, shall not vote. The Members who are present must not leave the chamber until the voting has been concluded.

Section 44

The voting is conducted in one of the following ways:

1. By a request from the President that the Members in favour of, or those against the proposal, rise. The President may also ask for a vote to the contrary.
2. By means of electronic devices.
3. By roll call. If the President finds the roll call unnecessary, but a Member so requests, the Ting decides the method of voting without any debate and by a vote according to subparagraph a. or b. The call in the Storting and in the Odelsting begins with the district and the Member whose number the Secretary has drawn by lot in advance. The call in the Lagting begins with the name drawn by lot. The roll call continues in the order of the Members.
4. By unsigned ballot papers. This method of voting is used only for elections when two or more proposals have been put forward for the same office or when so demanded by a member of the Storting who is present or when decided by the assembly following a proposal by the President. Voters shall write on the unsigned ballot papers the names of the persons they are voting for and personally deposit the papers in the ballot box. If anybody votes for more persons than shall be elected, the last name or names on the ballot pa per shall not be counted.

If there has been a vote as mentioned under subparagraph a. or b., but the President or one- fifth of the voters declare that the result may not be considered correct, a new vote shall be carried out, pursuant to subparagraph b. or c.

Section 45

1. Votes according to section 44 subparagraphs a., b. and c. are decided by a simple majority, i.e. more than half of the votes cast, unless regulations have been issued to the contrary. If there is an equal number of votes for and against, the President has the casting vote.
2. Votes according to section 44 d. are decided by relative majority,

i.e. more votes than for any other proposal, unless it has been decided by law or regulation, or for the particular matter, that more than half of the votes must be obtained for anyone to be considered elected. If blank voting slips have been returned, these slips shall be counted to determine whether there is a quorum, but not in deciding the outcome of the election itself. Whoever then has a relative majority of the valid votes is elected.

If more than one candidate has obtained the highest number of votes, any Member of the Ting in question may at once request a new vote among the candidates who have won an equal number of votes. If no one makes such a request, or if the number of votes is equal also after a new vote, the election shall be decided by lot.

Section 45 a

By decision that requires support from one-third of the Members of the Storting, the Storting may request the Storting's Accountability Select Committee to initiate enquiries to clarify whether there are grounds to prosecute through the Court of Impeachment pursuant to Article 86 of the Constitution. This does not, however, apply if in the same matter it is decided that the Storting shall or shall not bring a prosecution against the person or persons the inquiries will be directed against for the circumstances included in the request.

Section 46

When a matter is being debated, the meeting must not be adjourned until the matter has been put to the vote, or the Ting has resolved to postpone the proceedings.

Section 47

When a matter has been finally decided, it must not be brought up again or put on an agenda during the same session. If it is urgently necessary, or the Government presents a proposition or a report to the Storting within the same sphere of responsibility, the Ting concerned may nevertheless decide to do so, on condition that the matter is again dealt with by a committee.

Chapter 8 The Business of the Tings pursuant to Article 75 of the Constitution

Section 48

The matters mentioned in Article 75 of the Constitution shall be put before and decided by the plenary Storting with the following exceptions:

1. matters mentioned at the beginning of subparagraph a. of the Article ("to enact and repeal laws") shall be dealt pursuant to Article 76 et seq. of the Constitution3.
2. The rights mentioned in subparagraphs f. and h. of Article 75 may be exercised both by the plenary Storting and by the Odelsting separately.

Section 49

When the Storting or the Odelsting deems that it is necessary to require anyone to attend a meeting pursuant to Article 75 subparagraph

h. of the Constitution, the President of the Ting concerned shall ensure that a summons is sent.

The summons shall expressly mention the matter or the matters on which the Ting wishes to hear statements. It shall also contain the decision of the Ting that the person summoned is to confirm the statements by solemn declaration. The person summoned shall also receive a copy of the provisions adopted by the Storting concerning the procedure when a person's attendance is required pursuant to Article 75 subparagraph h. of the Constitution.

Section 49 a

When the Storting or Odelsting considers it necessary to request that documents be submitted pursuant to article 75 (f) of the Constitution, a decision is made concerning this. The request may apply to any document in the possession of the Government or the subordinate administration that has been prepared or obtained in the course of public activity. The President of the Ting concerned ensures that the request is forwarded to the Government, which then submits the documents as soon as possible.

A member who wishes to request access to Government and civil service documents may submit its request in writing to the President of the Storting through the Storting's administration. The President transmits the request to the responsible member of the Government, who shall as soon as possible and at the latest within three days either submit the document or inform in writing why it has not been submitted within the time limit and in such case when it will be submitted or why it will not be submitted. The member of the Government may refuse the request to the extent that the document is subject to the right of secrecy pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, but, in his assessment, shall place emphasis on the Members special status and need for information.

Chapter 9 Interpellations and Questions

Section 50

Interpellations

Any Member who wishes to put an interpellation to the Government or a member of the Government must submit it in writing to the Presidium of the Storting through the Storting's administration. The interpellation must be brief. The President should reject interpellations concerning

1. matters that fall outside the sphere of responsibility of the Government,
2. matters that are being dealt with in the committees,
3. matters on which recommendations have been made, but which have not yet been dealt with by the Storting or its chambers, and
4. matters on which interpellations or questions for Question Time have already been submitted, and which have not yet been answered.

The President may also intervene against wording such as is referred to in section 38, second paragraph. If the interpellation is accepted, the President informs the member of the Government concerned accordingly.

The interpellation shall be answered in the Storting at the earliest possible opportunity, at the latest within one month after it was submitted, unless the Presidium consents to its being answered at a later time. The period when the Storting is not sitting in the summer shall not count in the time limit.

When a matter is dealt with in the Storting, the interpellator is called upon first to speak for no longer than 10 minutes to explain the substance of the interpellation. If a member of the Government states that the interpellation will not be answered, the proceedings are thereby concluded.

If the interpellation is answered, the member of the Government who answers the interpellation may speak for no longer than 10 minutes. The Prime Minister and other ministers whose ministries are affected by the interpellation may also answer, and may speak for the same length of time.

In the ensuing debate, the interpellator and the member of the Government are first entitled to make one speech each that is no longer than three minutes. Thereafter, other members may speak once each for a maximum of five minutes. Finally, the interpellator and the member of the Government are each entitled to speak for no longer than three minutes.

Consideration of the interpellation must not last longer than one hour and 30 minutes. Speaking time used by the Prime Minister and ministers other than the minister to whom the interpellation is addressed shall not be counted.

Proposals may not be submitted in connection with deliberations concerning an interpellation.

Section 51

Questions to the Presidium

a. Questions concerning the work of the Storting and/or decisions by the Presidium are submitted in writing to the President of the Storting. The question must be brief. The answer should be given as soon as possible after the question has been submitted. When the question is being dealt with, the questioner has the right to elaborate on the grounds for the question for up to five minutes. The member of the Presidium who is answering the question has the same speaking time, but may, with the approval of the Storting, be permitted by the President to speak for up to ten minutes. If the aforementioned member of the Presidium states that the question will not be answered, the proceedings are thereby concluded. If the question is answered, the questioner and the member of the Presidium both have the right to speak once more. The questioner may then raise a brief supplementary question. Proposals may not be put forward in connection with such a question. No one else may speak.

b. If the question relates to internal Storting affairs, the Presidium may propose that it be considered in camera. The procedure is governed by the rules drawn up in subparagraph a. of this section, but with permission for others than the questioner to speak briefly. Speaking time is limited to three minutes, and the whole matter must be concluded within half an hour, unless the Storting decides otherwise.

Section 52

Questions to be answered in writing

A Member who wishes to have a written answer to a question put to a member of the Government submits the question in writing to the President of the Storting, through the Storting's administration, with an endorsement stating that a written answer is requested. The question shall be brief, but may also be elaborated in a maximum of one A-4 page. The question shall be signed personally by the questioner. The President should reject questions concerning matters that are outside the sphere of responsibility of the Government, and may intervene against such wording as is referred to in section 38, second paragraph. The President transmits the question to the member of the Government concerned, who may refuse to answer the question.

In the course of any one calendar week, a Member may submit a total of not more than two questions to be answered in writing and questions in an ordinary Question Time. Questions to be answered in writing may not be submitted in the period from 1st July - 14th August.

Within six workdays after the question was sent from the Storting, a member of the Government shall submit a written answer to the question to the President of the Storting, through the Storting's administration, or state in writing why the question will not be answered within the time limit, and in that case when it will be answered, or that it will not be answered. As a general rule, the answer should not exceed two A-4 pages in length. The Storting's administration forwards the answer to the questioner, and ensures that the question and the answer are printed in the official report on Storting proceedings.

Section 53

Question Time

1. Question Time is generally held in the Storting every Wednesday at 1000 hours, first oral Question Time, afterwards ordinary Question Time. The Presidium may decide in any week that the oral Question Time or ordinary Question Time shall not be held. In special cases, the Presidium may decide that the oral Question Time or ordinary Question Time shall be rescheduled.

2. During the oral Question Time, members of the Government answer questions which are put to them orally by Members of the Storting. At the latest by Monday at 1100 hours, the Prime Minister informs the President of the Storting which members of the Government will take part in the oral Question Time that same week, and the President apprises the Members of this. The Members may put brief questions, limited to two minutes, to one of the members of the Government who are present. A Member may not ask more than one main question during an oral Question Time. Members who wish to ask questions should notify the President, through the Storting's administration, of this in advance. The President decides which Members are to ask questions, and in which order. Members of the Government may refuse to answer questions. The maximum time allotted for the first answer of the member of the Government after a main question is two minutes; otherwise speaking time shall be limited to one minute. After the answer, the questioner is entitled to speak once. The President may call upon other Members to speak once concerning the matter that was addressed in the question. A member of the Government is entitled to speak after each speech by a Member, in addition to which the President may call upon other members of the Government to speak.

The President decides when an oral Question Time shall end.

3. During the ordinary Question Time, members of the Government answer questions submitted in writing by the Members to the President of the Storting through the Storting's administration. Questions shall be brief. A Member may ask one question during ordinary Question Time. If a question must be postponed owing to the absence of the Minister, the member may ask two questions during the next Question Time. Questions to be raised during a Question Time must be submitted not later than 1400 hours on the last Thursday prior to the Question Time. If a Thursday falls on a holiday, the deadline for submitting written questions is 1400 hours on the last preceding workday.

The President should reject questions submitted for Question Time concerning any matter that falls outside the sphere of responsibility of the Government and concerning matters for which interpellations or questions for Question Time have already been submitted and which are still unanswered. Moreover, the President may intervene against such wording as is referred to in section 38, second paragraph. The President transmits the questions to the members of the Government concerned. The member of the Government may refuse to answer a question. The Storting's administration publishes the questions.

The questions to be dealt with during Question Time are reproduced and distributed to the Members before Question Time begins. Questioners speak in turn and may, without stating any grounds for their question, request a reply from the Minister. If the questioner is not present, another Member may take the question up. If that is not done, the question is considered dropped.

In answering a question in Question Time, a Minister should speak for no more than three minutes. After the Minister has answered a question, the questioner and the Minister are each permitted to speak two more times to make brief comments, limited to one minute, on the matter about which the question was raised. In this connection, the questioner is entitled to ask brief supplementary questions. At the beginning of Question Time, the President may decide that the questioner and the Minister may only speak once each after the Minister has answered, if the President deems this necessary in order that the matters on the agenda may be dealt with in the course of the prescribed time for the morning sitting.

Chapter 10 The Procedure on Bills in the Plenary Storting

Section 54

When a Bill is dealt with in the plenary Storting pursuant to Article 76 of the Constitution, the Storting shall decide in plenary sitting whether or not to approve the Odelsting's Resolution as it was last submitted to the Lagting. If it is approved, the Bill is sent back to the Lagting to be dealt with in the ordinary course of legislation. If it does not obtain a sufficient number of votes to be adopted according to the provisions of the Constitution, the Bill shall be regarded as rejected.

Chapter 11 The Records of the Tings, and Dispatch of business

Section 55

For the Storting and each chamber, the President concerned authorizes the Record of Proceedings and the Record of Extracts in two editions for each chamber, one concerning matters dealt with in public sittings, the other for matters dealt with in camera.

Section 56

When a matter of business has been dealt with, it is entered into the Record of Proceedings only with its serial number in the Record of Extracts and the number of the agenda in question. Votes for and against are entered with numerals in a special column, but the decision of the Ting shall be written verbatim in the Record of Proceedings under the President's responsibility. After each public sitting the Record of Proceedings is available for inspection in the Storting's administration; the same applies after meetings in camera if the assembly has resolved that the proceedings may be made public. If anyone objects to the entry in the Record, the President replies to the objections, after which the Ting decides by a vote without a debate whether to make corrections. Proceedings in camera which it is decided not to make public shall be recorded. The Record is read out and adopted before the meeting is adjourned.

Section 57

When a matter has been decided, the Storting's administration drafts the necessary letters and endorsements and, when the President has approved the drafts, the matter is dispatched. In cases of Addresses from the Storting to the King, or communications which on special occasions shall express the wishes and opinions of the Storting, drafts of such communications shall be read out to the Storting.

Section 58

All matters dispatched shall be signed by the President and the Secretary. The Enactment of a Bill submitted by the Lagting and the Odelsting or by the plenary Storting to the King for the Royal Assent shall be sent from the Secretariat of the Lagting and signed by the Presidents of the Lagting and the Odelsting and the Secretaries of both Tings. Resolutions amending or adding to the Constitution shall be signed by the President and the Secretary of the Storting.

Section 59

When the Storting and its chambers have concluded their proceedings, the Members sign the Records of Proceedings. The Secretaries of the two chambers and of the Committees thereupon send the records and appurtenant documents to the Storting Archives.

Chapter 12 Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 60

Members are pledged to secrecy on all matters which are dealt with in camera by the Storting or its chambers, and also when such matters are dealt with in the committees. Members are further pledged to secrecy concerning matters they acquire knowledge of in the exercise of their parliamentary duties:

1. information that is classified pursuant to the Security Instructions, the Act relating to Protective Security Services or the Protection Instructions,
2. matters of the nature referred to in section 13 of the Public Administration Act (certain personal affairs or technical devices and procedures, as well as operational or business matters which for competition reasons it is important to keep secret in the interests of the person whom the information concerns). The rules laid down in sections 13 - 13 e of the Public Administration Act shall apply accordingly wherever appropriate.

When attending a meeting for the first time, a Member shall sign a pledge of secrecy as formulated by the Presidium.

Section 61

If the President intends to propose that proceedings should be held in camera, the sitting shall be called to order in camera; the President then urges the Ting to decide whether the proceedings shall be held in camera, cf. Article 84 of the Constitution5.

The President may admit officials of the Storting's administration and the Storting's stenographers to proceedings in camera. The President may likewise allow certain of the Storting's attendants access to the chamber during proceedings to bring necessary messages to the President or a Member. The President may also, at the request of a Minister, ask the Ting to consent to the presence of senior government officials and civil servants from the ministries during the sitting.

Records of the Proceedings are kept in a separate edition, which together with whatever draft minutes there may be, must be sealed and deposited in the Archives.

If it proves desirable to open a sealed matter in the Archives, the Presidium decides whether this is to be done. Proceedings in camera may be published if the Ting in question so decides.

Article 84 of the Constitution reads: "The Storting shall meet in open session and its proceedings shall be published in print, except in those cases where a majority decides otherwise." This also applies to the chambers.

Section 62

By the expression "party group" in these Rules of Procedure is understood the member or members who were elected from a registered party which presented lists of candidates for election in at least one-third of the counties.

Section 63

The President of the Storting and the Presidents of the chambers, when meetings are held there, shall by agreement with the competent authority ensure that good order is maintained in the Storting building. Within the limits imposed by the regulations which apply to the building, access to the Visitors Galleries must be as unrestricted as possible.

Section 64

Under special circumstances the Storting may decide that certain provisions in the Rules of Procedure shall not apply. Unless the proposal is put forward by the President, such a resolution requires a two- thirds majority. Proposals put forward by the President shall be decided by a simple majority.

Last updated: 11.09.2008 11:19